Miscellaneous Madness X Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Hillbilly Cats

It is said that Elvis developed a following due "in equal parts" to his voice, rhythmic movements---and tight pants. RCA bought the singles that Elvis had recorded at Sun Records for $35,000. Some say RCA put "Colonel" Tom Parker in charge of making Elvis a star.

Answer: "I think we'll not go to the beach tomorrow for a ride."

The rest is history. Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn's second husband, took charge of the arrangements. The media was banned and only a few friends and relatives were invited. There were fewer than 35 people at Marilyn's funeral. She is buried at Westwood Village Mortuary Cemetery.

Answer: West Indies

Rastafarianism is a religion based on the ideas of Marcus Garey who called on all the black people to go back to Africa and set up a black government. Rastafarians identify with the Chosen People, the Israelites, of the Bible. There are no churches and the use of ganja (marijuana) is a sacrament.

There are approximately one million Rastafarians in 1990. Many do not cut their hair according to their beliefs and wear it instead in dreadlocks and often they wear wool hats to contain the hair in the Rastafarian colors: Red, Green and Gold.

Their food laws are very strict and medications should be made from natural herbs.

Answer: Voodoo priests used a drug on the victims.

The idea of a zombie originated in Haiti where Voodoo is so prevalent. It is thought that the priests used the nerve poison tetrodotoxin that comes from the puffer fish. This would cause the victim to appear dead. When the nerve poison wears off the victim physically recovers---but does he recover mentally? Does he believe that he is dead and that he is a zombie? The puffer fish that the Japanese love must be prepared exactly right or the eater will be similarly affected...and I never heard of a Japanese zombie. Have you?

Answer: James Braid (1795-1860)

Anton Mesmer, a Viennese physician is credited for the discovery. He called it "animal magnetism" and believed it was a physical force or even a fluid. James Braid, a British physician, came along and was the first to think of it as a psychological phenomenon which he called hypnosis.

The Scottish surgeon, James Esdaile performed hundreds of operations in which he used hypnosis to induce general anesthesia---a total lack of pain. Today, there are still physicians that use hypnosis before surgery and no anesthesia.

Answer: Isle of Man

My source does not tell me what the penalty is for "engaging". Many states in the USA prohibit homesexual acts---while in Denmark, gay couples may marry and they have all the legal rights of the heterosexual married couple except that they cannot adopt a child.

Answer: Lawyer

Gandhi studied law in England and worked at an attorney in Bombay before his move to South Africa where he spent 20 years working against discrimination of the Indian settlers. He become betrothed before the age of 7, following Hindu practice. His fiance died and a second betrothal ended the same way.

His parents found another girl and arranged a third betrothal and this was the magic number. They were married 6 years later and remained married for 60 years.

Answer: Complications of Diabetes

The "Wizard of Menlo Park" was voted "the greatest living American" in a 1922 New York Times newspaper poll. He invented the light bulb, a dictating machine plus many other great inventions. He held 1,093 patents. Like his good friend, Henry Ford, who was also an inventor, he aimed his life at producing inexpensive and mass-produced items that would be useful and beneficial in daily life.

Answer: Lamb's intestine

Well----I hope you knew this one! A reliable source traces the word back to Colonel Condum of Britain's Royal Guards. He supposedly invented the "French letter" to protect his men from the French. The French, in their turn, called the condoms "English letters". Maybe they thought they needed protection from the English? Cassanova is on record for buying a dozen---he called them "English caps".

Another source credits a London doctor in the court of Charles II by the name of Dr. Conton. No matter who got the credit, the Catholic Church was not about to have any of it and said that the condom "hindered the arrangement of providence". If you really feel like diving into this subject, you might want to order a copy of William E. Kruck's "Looking for Dr. Condom" (University of Alabama Press 1982).

Answer: Goods for soldiers were stamped "US".

Samuel Wilson was a meat packer. He was also a patriotic man. His meats were sent to the American army during the War of 1812 and he always stamped US on the goods. When asked what the initials meant, plant workers jokingly replied, "Uncle Sam"---the name stuck and the rest is history.

As a child, I was always afraid of the poster of him pointing his finger at me and saying, "I want you."